Valencia inflict Madrid blow

Gareth Bale remained a substitute for an otherwise-full strength Madrid, who made a total of seven changes from their 2-0 victory over Espanyol.

Valencia, meanwhile, named an attacking line-up, spearheaded by Italy international Simone Zaza, who recently broke his duck for Los Che and followed up with a wonder strike in just the fourth minute, volleying past Navas with his back to goal.

Just five later, Nani had all the time and space in the world to thread through Fabian Orellana [pictured], who drilled a finish through Navas legs.

With that, Madrid fell 2-0 behind in the quickest time for 14 years. Cristiano Ronaldo drove hard and low from outside Valencia’s box, but his effort fizzed inches wide.

A deep cross, meanwhile, dropped to Munir El Haddadi in the Madrid area, but his volleyed strike was deflected just over.

Munir was involved at the other end moments later as Ronaldo’s cross-shot reached James Rodriguez at the back post, which the former Barcelona cleared off the line.

Dani Parejo was barely resembling the man that wanted out of Valencia last summer, and the midfielder blasted the free kick on target that Navas managed to punch away.

Last-ditch defending from the hosts then saw James’ scooped through ball for Ronaldo force Diego Alves to make a sliding block, before Ezequiel Garay scrambled Toni Kroos' cross towards the far post behind.

However, Joao Cancelo was nowhere to be seen when Marcelo’s pinpoint delivery was met by Ronaldo, the No 7 powering a bullet header past Alves.

Ronaldo looked to have stepped up a gear from that as he proceeded to round the Valencia box and hit a rocket that was deflected a whisker wide by Eliaquim Mangala.

Valencia defended for their lives in the early part of the restart, and Mangala had a heart-in-the-mouth moment when Ronaldo fell in front of the defender in the box, although there didn’t appear to be too much contact.

Bale replaced James for the final half-hour, and he almost made an immediate impact, the Welshman’s cross towards the far post just evading a goal-bound Ronaldo.

An awful mistake by Raphael Varane suddenly let Zaza in, but just as the striker tried to lob Navas, he should’ve been awarded a penalty, having been bodychecked by Dani Carvajal.

The referee missed another clear foul on a Valencia player, this time Sergio Ramos studding Munir on the edge of the box.

Madrid threw the kitchen sink at Los Che in the latter stages, Ronaldo backheeling a ball back into the box, but Alves eventually gathered after an almighty scramble.

A clearance then fell straight to Ramos on the edge of Valencia’s area, but the defender’s volley flew inches wide, before a Bale header deflected off Enzo Perez, who had been standing just in front of Alves.

The defining chance, however, fell to Ronaldo deep in stoppage time as he nodded a cross over by the smallest of fractions.

The result left Madrid still top of La Liga but just a point clear of Barcelona and down to only the one game in hand.